The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-26
CHASED BY A PRAIRIE FIRE.
1t Nearly Caught the Hero, and Burned
the Heroines Husband to Crisp.

CaAoED BY a PRAlRlE FIRE.
1t Nearly Caught the Hero, and Burned
the Heroine's Husband to a Crisp.
From the 50. Paul Globe.
A few evenings ago party of Northwest
ern cattlemen were grouped together in the
rotunda of the Merchants Hotel, discussing
different points of the business-to what per
cent the loss for the past winter would
reach, the prospects for the coming summer,
the effect of the interstate commerce law,
etc. The recent prairie fires in the Northwest,
and also those in Kansas, which caused the
loss of of life and property and destroying
for this season valuable grazing lands, were
made the topic of conversation, when one
of the gentlemen said,
"a prairie fire with strong wind is a ter
rible thing. | have seen several, but
fortunately was never very close to but one,
and it was only by a streak of good luck or
perhaps Providence, that l escaped alive"
When the group had settled back for the
story the cattlemen told this incident, which
has romance enough in it for the foundation
of novel:
at was in rs or '76, I don't remember
which" said the man. II was in partner
ship in the cattle business with a man,
whose name is immaterial, with our ranch
in Indian Territory, below Medicine Lodge
We had shipped drove of cattle to Kansas
City, driving them from the Territory to
Wichita, Kan, which was then the ter
minus of branch of the Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fe road. The drive to Wichita
was rather disastrous to the stock, the grass
along the route being poor and water scarce.
On the way home from Kansas City it was
decided that we should continue on the main
line of the road to Hutchinson, from which
place would take horse and ride down to
the Territory, while my partner was to go
on to Dodge City, and also take horse for
home. The object was to find more desir-
able route on which to drive our next herd of
cattle in order to reach a shipping point.
Accordingly l stopped at Hutchinson, and
before going to bed was in possession of as
fine a piece of horseflesh as you ever laid
your eyes on. The distance from Hutchin-
son to Medicine Lodge was about 80 miles,
which could be reached by hard days
ride. By daylight the next morning | was
in the saddle and riding south. 1t will be
remembered that at that time Kansas was
little settled west of the central portion,
especially off the line of two railroads run
ming east and west through the State.
Consequently my ride was rather lonely
one the majority of he living things to
be seen being prairie q Ngs, which would
scamper to their holes on my approach.
Occasionally I would happen upon dug
solitary house! These dugouts are strange
looking objects to persons unaccustomed to
them. Usually they are simply hole dug
in the ground, few poles laid across the
prairie grass and dirt thrown over the top
The only redeeming feature about them is
that they are cyclone-proof. In some cases
a hole is cut in the side of hill, but owing
to the nature of the country this form of
habitation is scarce. The day had been I'M
usually warm, and had been riding rather
slowly with view of pushing on faster
when it had become cooler. A breeze
sprang up from the south and | gave my
horse tap to urge him on, but not minding
the whip he started off i'll a different
direction than the one which we had been
going. He appeared to be uneasy, but |
supposed this was caused from thirst The
sun had gone down and the wind was in
creasing, bringing with it a faint odor of
burning grass. As it grew dark could see
flicker of light at a distance, but thought
nothing of it. It was not long, however,
before discovered the cause of the horses
uneasiness Stretching from the right to
left,apparently in a semicircle, was streak
of fire, and at once realized that was in
dangerous position.
"There was no way to turn
to escape but to turn back, and
l was loath to do that. / stood still some
time, undecided what to do. 1t would be
foolish to think Of trying to break through
this sweeping wall of fire. Turning the
horses head in the direction from which we
came, / let him have the reins. He needed
no urging, and covered the ground in fine
style looked back, and was dismayed to
see that even as fast as we were going the
fire was gaining on u.s. Giving the horse a
short cut with the whip he gave lunge for
ward, but fell, throwing me over his head.
He had stepped into prairie dogs hole and
broken leg. Seeing that he could go no
further | drew my revolver and ended his
life The fire was now less than mile from
me, coming before terrible wind, the
flames leaping high in the air; BY the light
| could see a small hill few hundred yards
away, and my only hope was to reach that
perhaps. finding shelter on the opposite side
| put forth my best efforts, but before
covering half the distance / could hear the
roar Of the flames and feel the heat, while
the smoke was suffocating. Making ter
rible effort, kept to my feet for a few
seconds more, and then consciousness left
me. When | woke it was morning, and
bending over me was a young woman.
Remembering what had passed through,
my first impression was that was dead and
in-well, where we all want to 90 some
time But soon found my mistake, and
discovered that | was in a cave dug in the
side of hill In flying from the fire my last
step had brought me TO the door, anu 1all-
ing, had forced it Open The young woman
was in great distress, and told me that she
feared her husband had been caught in the
prairie fire. She told me her history very
briefly, saying that she was an orphan, had
been married but short time, and came
from the. East with her husband TO make a
home. Her husband had left her alone two
DAYS before, having gone to the nearest
town. and that she had expected him 10 re-
turn the evening before. Hastily eating
what she had prepared, we started in search
of the missing man. The scene was desc
late one, as far as the eye could reach being
a sea OF ashes. We had gone little over
mile when, we found the charred remains of
the woman's husband | left her watching
over him while HUNTED up a habitation, and
securing assistance we buried him near
where he died. l hired man TO take me to
my ranch, where found my partner had
arrived all right Shortly after that | sold
out and came North, but think shall not
forget that part of the country SOON"
Just as the narrator had ceased speaklnga
bright little boy came running up to him
saying:
''Papa, mamma wants to seeyou."
"But what became Of the young womanT
was asked in unison by the rest of the party
as the gentleman arose.
'tIvell, - said he with smile, ''she has just
sent our boy after me-"
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